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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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(716)  872-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

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CIHM/ICMH 
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microfiches. 


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Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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D 


v! 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagie 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  da  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous 

10X  14X  18X 


12X 


16X 


22X 

<»._ 

26X 

30X 

1 

20X                             24X                            28X                            32X 

'e 

Atails 
18  du 
nodifier 
)r  une 
ilmage 


IS 


Th«  copy  fllmtd  hers  has  baan  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  laglblllty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacificatlons. 


Original  cop)«s  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  fllnf>ad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  page  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
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beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaira  filmi  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
ginArosit*  da: 

Library  Di^'sion 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  tt6  reproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soln,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nattatA  de  l'exemplaira  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier .  i\  ImprimAe  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  ia 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  aelon  le  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  lo 
cas:  le  symbols  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symboie  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmes  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff Arents. 
Lorsqua  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA,  il  est  filmA  i  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  ie  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


Br^rata 
to 


pelure, 
in  A 


□ 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

?(- 


I , 


HON, 


^ 


&>Uect:u}/v 


Tlic  Joint  Ri 
luiiiiUe  llin 
and  Great 
tory,  bc'iiia 

Ml".  ATCl 
the  floor,  pro 
iliat  lie  Would 
ho  now  hiivo 
the  snhjpct,  I 
wcfk,  iissunii 
tioiis  for  noti 
'  liiit  llic  ohjec. 
notii'e  In  tho  I 

J'lflhf!  Joint  oi 
thofxjiiralioi 
anioiM,'  these 
coniphfih  thin 
1  most  pointed 
'  preference  to 
,   Committee  oi 
its  oliject  dire 
litinnsof  any 
f  this  did  not 
lad  been  sent 
('ct  it  was  wil 
Jiim.^elf  to  vol 
|ion.     He  olij 
thin^',  it  wa.s 
Jind  the  dise.rc 
■ontroversy  ti 
»n  nniieahlef!! 
1)  Mr.  A.  tiiai 
10  jwwer  on 
)ower  resided 
)n  one  hand, 
he   other.      I 
I  night  be  ninci 
iiat  it  hail  bci 
"if,  "Althouj 


*- 


,< 


!  > 


SPEECH 


or 


HON.  D.  R.  ATCPILSOX,  OF  MISSOURI, 


OH 


THE  OREGON  QUESTION. 

DELIVERED 

IX  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  MARCH  12,  184C. 


:)■■■  ,  ■»  'iT-i 


The  Joint  Rcsoliition  for  sriviiii^  tlic  notice  to  irr- 
niiiitUc  tlm  ronvontion  l)ct\vic'ii  the  lliiitnl  Stjitcs 
and  Great  IJrilain,  rclntive  to  the  Oregon  terri- 
tory, Ijeiii.^  under  consideration — 
Mr.  ATCHl.SON,  of  Missouri,  licina;  entitled  to 
the  floor,  [ironii.sed,  in  the  outset  of  liis  remarks, 
ili.it  lie  Would  not  Iniig;  detain  the  Semite,  nor.siiould 
lie  now  have  deemed  it  necessary  to  say  a  word  on 
the  suhjeet,  had   not  the  question,  within  the  ln^'t 
week,  assumed  ii  new  aspect.     Various  i)ro|)osi- 
tioiis  for  notice   liad   been  mibmitted  to  the  body, 
ut  tiic  object  common  to  all  of  thein  was  to  give 
notice  to  the  Hrilish  Qoverniiient  of  the  tcniiination 
f  the  joint  occiipnacy  of  the  Orejjon  territory  after 
the  exjiiratioii  of  twelve  months.     Mr.  A.  ]>ivferred 
auKuit;  tlie.se  that  form  of  notice  which  v.eiit  to  nc- 
Iromplish  this  end  in  the  fewest  words  and  in  the 
imost  pointed  terms.     For  this  reason  he  i,^avc  the 
^reference  to  the  resolution  iis  reported  from  the 
^inmitlee  on  Foreiirn  Uelalions.     It  weiu  to  elfect 
13  object  directly,  and  was  unencumbered  by  con- 
litionsof  any  sort.     Mr.  A.,  however,  was  ready, 
f  this  did  not  prevail,  to  (jo  for  the  resolution  which 
id  been  sent  from  the  House  of  Representatives, 
et  it  was  with  !;reat  reluctance  that  he  could  briii;; 
limnelf  to  vote  for  tlu'  second  clause  iif  that  rciolll- 
^ion.     Ho  objected  to  it  because,  if  it  im  ant  aiiy- 
linij,  it  Was  intended  to  interfere  with  the  riu;lits 
iiid  the  discretion  of  the  two  parties  in  the  present 
•ontroverNy  to  renew  or  to  pursue  ne^'otiatioii  for 
»n  aniicabk'  fiettlement  of  the  difficulty.     It  seemed 
)  Mr.  A.  that  the  American  Congress  could  confer 
lo  power  on  the  Government  to  neu:oliale ;  that 
lower  resided  in  thePiT.sidentof  the  United  States 
in  one  hand,  end   in  the  I'ritish  Government  on 
le   other.      He  ndmiited    that   this   rdiistniction 
u'.tjht  be  placed  on  that  reso'ution,  and  he  knew 
hat  it  had  been.     It  iui!;lit  be  understood  n.s  say- 


ihiit  notice  should  be  given,  and  wc  confer  on  him 
the  power  to  give  such  notice  to  Eiij:land,  yet  we. 
do  it  with  rciiictatice,  and  we  do  it  with  timidity." 
If  the  latter  clause  meant  anything,  it  meant  tlii.s. 
("rrlain'y  the  House  could  never  intend  to  confer 
on  the  Pvesident  the  power  to  negotiate,  and  every 
one  knew  that  they  cimld  not,  under  any  circum- 
slance.s,  prevent  negotiation  if  the  President  and 
the  P>ritish  Government  desired  it.  The  resolu- 
tion, then,  wa.s  to  be  uniierstood  1 1  mean  this: 
"Coiign!SM,  by  this  resolution,  do  advise  the  Presi- 
dent and  the  l^ritish  Government  to  negotiate."  If 
that  was  its  meaning,  then  the  second  clause  was 
lufre  tnirplucagi',  a.id,  ••■, :  mucIi,  Mr.  A.  ]irotested 
against  it;  but  still  hn  !v  rvi'liiig  to  vote  for  the 
whole  re.sohilion  as  it  stood. 

The  resolutions  proposed  i.  the  form  of  an 
iimcndnient  by  the  Senator  fr  li.  Kentucky  [Mr. 
I  Chittenhen]  were,  in  hi.;  vii  w,  still  more  objec- 
tionable, though  his  objection  was  directed  more 
c  'ccially  against  the  preamble.  Mr.  A.  here  rend 
fro.n  Mr.  Chittenden's  |ireaiuble  as  follows: 

'  With  u  view,  therefore,  that  steps  be  taken  for 
'  tlie  alirogation  of  the  said  convention  of  the  O'th 
'  August,  IStJT,  in  the  m.ide  iirescribed  by  its  2d 
'  urticle,  and  that  the  attention  of  the  Goverimient.H 
'  of  both  countries  may  be  the  more  rarnestly  and 
'  immediately  directed  to  renewed  efibrts  for  the 
'  settlement  of  all  their  ditfercnces  and  disputes  in 
'  respect  to  said  territory." 

To  this  language  Mr.  A.  objected.  It  was  not 
with  n  view  to  commit  the  President  tbat  he  should 
.•ote  for  the  notice;  it  was  not  in  the  expectation 
of  changing  hi.s  course  as  to  negotiation;  that  was 
a  iiuestioii  he  should  submit  to  the  President  hiiti- 
.sclf;  he  couKi  negotiate  or  not,  at  his  discretion 
and  at  his  peril.  Mr.  A.  went  on  to  read  from  the 
resolution: 


"Allhoujjh.  the  Preaidciit  recojuiuciids  to  \w  '     '  TliiU,  in  order  to  iiITord  ainpior  time  and  oppor- 


8 


'  lunily  for  the  amicablo  snttlnmont  niid  adjustment 
•  of  nil  tlirir  (liflrcrcriccs  mid  disputrs  in  rrtipcct  lo 
'  siiid  ifrritory,  suid  notice  ouijlit  not  to  be  {jivcn 
'  till  iifttr  the  close  of  llie  present  session  of  Con- 
'  gress." 

To  this  rlaiise  he  hnd  yet  more  serious  ohjrc- 
jor.tions.  In  tiie  first  place,  he  had  uiiliniitrd  con- 
fidence in  the  discielion  of  the  President,  and  was 
willing  to  leave  it  discri:tionary  with  him  to  y:ivc 
the  notice  or  to  withhold  it,  at  his  pleasure.  But, 
though  he  had  implicit  confidence  in  the  Presi- 
dent's discretion,  he  wos  willing  to  share  with  him 
the  responsibility  of  giving  the  notice,  and  not  only 
willing,  but  anxious,  to  do  so.  But  if  the  resolu- 
tion proposed  by  the  Senator  from  Kentucky,  and 
whicli  he  had  just  read,  should  be  odoptea,  then 
all  Excc\itivc  action  in  this  matter  during  the  pres- 
ent session  of  Congress  must  be  nut  a  stop  to. 
There  were  n  few  neasurcs  whicli  Congress  might 
adopt,  but  they  must  be  very  limited  in  their  ex- 
tent until  we  were  set  free  from  thu  obligations  im- 
posed upon  us  by  the  treaty  of  joint  occupation. 

Mr.  A.  said  he  wa.s  prepared  to  vole  for  the  notice, 
but  not  with  any  purpose  thereby  cither  to  retard 
or  to  forward  negotiation.  lie  should  vote  for  it 
without  any  n;gard  either  to  peace  or  war.  Those 
were  matters  'vhich,  as  he  conceived,  should  have 
no  influence  over  bis  vote;  they  were  matters  en- 
tirely lujidc  from  the  question.  There  was  but  one 
plain  point  presented  to  the  Senate  for  its  decision, 
and  that  was  the  .simple  question  whether  it  was 
right,  politic,  and  best  for  the  interests  of  the  coun- 
try to  give  the  proposed  notice  for  annulling  the 
treaty.  This  was  the  question,  and  the  only  ques- 
tion, on  which  the  Senate  was  now  called  to  net; 
it  wos  the  only  question  which  i^hould  have  been 
considered. 

And  here  permit  him  to  soy  that  the  Senator  from 
New  Jersey,  [Mr.  Dattov,]  the  Senator  from 
Maine,  [Mr.  Evans,]  and  the  Senator  from  Mary- 
land, [Mr.  John-son,]  the  Inst  of  whom  had  so 
eloquently  addressed  the  Senate  yesterday,  had 
each  of  them  ossumed  high  and  manly  ground. 
The  Senator  from  New  Jfersey  and  the  Senator 
from  Maine  doubted  altogether  of  the  policy  of 
giving  the  proposed  notice  at  this  time,  ona,  if  their 
views  were  correct,  they  were  bound  to  vote  against 
it.  This  was  the  one  and  the  only  point  to  be  con- 
sidered. Encumbrances  he  knew  had  been  thrown 
around  it,  and  a  great  deal  had  been  said  about 
compromise  and  about  title,  which  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  question.  The  amendment  of  the  Sen- 
ator from  South  Carolina,  oflc-red  to  the  resolutions 
of  the  Senator  from  Indiana,  [Mr.  Hawecaw,]  arc 
surfeited  with  compromises.  Now,  if  a  mainriiy 
of  the  Senate  were  of  the  mind  that  there  should 
be  a  compromise,  ond  that  we  should  make  a  ron- 
cession  of  what  we  believed  to  be  our  rights  for 
the  sake  of  peace,  and  if  they  thought  that  the 
resolutions  of  the  Senator  from  South  Caroli'ia 
were  not  sufliciently  to  the  point,  let  gentlemen 
propose  suitable  amendments  to  them.  Let  them 
either  leave  the  President  unshackled,  or  let  them 
oflcr  abstract  and  substantive  resolutions  advising 
him  to  a  compromise.  This  w«jiild  be  a  plain  and 
open  course;  and  the  opinion  of  the  Senate,  if  thus 
expressed,  would  have  quite  as  much  weight  with 

the  Executive  as  if  it  were  contained  in  a  clause 
attached  lo  this  reaolution  of  notice. 


But  the  Senator  from  Maine  (Mr.  Evavs]  wa« 
much  embarrassed  by  this  difficulty.  He  did  not 
know  what  use  the  President  intended  to  make  of 
this  notice  if  it  was  nassed.  He  apprehended  that 
tlic  .')4°  40'  men  in  the  Senate,  lit  the  head  of  whom 
stood  Mr.  A.'.s  friend  from  Indiana,  [Mr.  IIavnb- 
<;av,]  who  was  considered  on  nil  hands  as  their 
leader,  were  willing  to  give  the  President  what  the 
Senator  frf  :n  North  Carolino  [Mr.  IIaywooh] 
called  0  great  moral  weapon,  that  thereby  he  might 
enfin-ce  our  rights  to  the  whole  of  Oregon,  from 
California  to  the  Russian  line— fmm  latitude  42^ 
lo  .'■>40  40'.  The  Senator  frcmi  North  Carolina 
[Mr.  Haywood]  informed  the  Senate  that  the 
President  denied  this  to  be  his  intention, but  wish- 
ed it  in  order  to  force  a  negotiation  on  the  parallel 
of  49°.  And  the  Senator  from  Maine,  [Mr. 
Evans,]  in  reference  to  this  construction  of  the 
President's  meaning,  said  that,  in  that  view  of  the 
matter,  the  notice  would  not  be  so  objectionable; 
but  still  he  could  not  tell  which  of  the  two  views 
was  correct— whether  the  President  wanted  the 
notice  for  54°  40',  or  whether  he  wanted  it  for  40°. 
Now,  on  this  doubtful  point,  Mr.  A.  would  a.sk 
leave  to  refer  the  Senator  from  Maine  to  the  ex- 
press declaration  of  the  President  himself  when 
speaking  on  this  suliject  of  notice.  He  thought 
the  President's  language  was  so  plain  thot  it  was 
impossible  there  should  be  any  difTerence  of  ojiin- 
ion  as  to  the  construction  that  was  to  be  put  upon 
it.  The  Senator  from  North  Carolina  [Mr,  Hav- 
wood]  assumed  one  construction,  but  the  language 
il.self  c^n-ied  quite  another.  Whether  thot  Senator 
spoke  with  the  tcmgue  of  the  President  or  not,  as 
to  the  meaning  of  this  part  of  tlie  Message,  he 
thought  there  could  be  no  diflereiice  between  the 
49°  men  and  the  54°  40'  men.  What  did  the  Pres- 
ident say } 

"  All  attempts  at  eompramisc  having  failed,  it 
'  becomes  the  duly  of  Congress  to  consider  what 
'  measures  it  may  be  proper  to  adopt  for  the  sccu- 
'  rily  and  protection  of  our  citizens  now  inhabiting 
'  ov  who  may  hereafter  inhabit  Oregon,  and  for  the 
'  maintenance  of  our  just  title  to  that  territory.  In 
'adopting  measures  for  this  purpose,  care  should 
'  be  taken  that  nothing  be  done  to  violate  the  siipu- 
'  lations  of  the  convention  of  1827,  which  is  still  in 
'  force.  The  faith  of  treaties,  in  their  letter  and 
'spirit,  has  ever  been,  and,  I  tnist,  will  ever  be, 

•  scrupulously  observed  by  the  United  States. 
'  Under  Miat  convention,  a  year's  notice  is  required 
'  to  be  given  by  either  party  to  the  other  before 

•  the  Joint  occupancy  shall  terminate,  and  before 
'  either  c^n  rightfully  assert  or  exerci.te  exclusive 

•  iurisdiction  over  any  portion  of  the  ten-itory. 
'This  notice  it  would,  in  my  judgment,  be  pro])er 
'  to  give;  and  I  recommend  that  provision  be  made 
'  by  law  for  giving  it  accordingly,  and  lermiiiatin:; 
'  in  this  manner  the  cimveiitiuii  of  the  Gth  of  Aug- 
'ust,1827." 

It  was  pre  iscly  for  the  rea.son  here  given  by  the 
President  that  Mr.  A.  sustained  this  resolution  for 
notice.  It  was  that  the  treaty  of  1818  might  be 
removed  out  of  the  way;  that  all  objections  to  ac- 
tion on  the  part  of  Congress  niio;ht  W  put  an  end 
to.  Hitherto,  whenever  it  had  been  propiLwd  to 
erect  a  Territorial  Government  in  Oregon,  to  extend 
our  laws  over  the  territory,  to  establish  a  chain  of 
military  posts,  and  to  create  Indian  agencies  in 


that  coun 

:  had   been 

nient,    thi 

with  the 

either  poi 

over  eithe 

annulling 

:  iiig  all  obi 

?  it  a  sufficii 

,  tor  ft-om  J 

j  whether  ll 

I  diction  of 

;  after,  lo  t 

I  whether  o 

'■■  or  to  the  \ 

annulling 

as  in  the  v 

our  title  to 

that  bcyoi 

ness  restei 

perhaps  a 

ting  all  thi 

before  wc 

ri.sdiclion 

less. 

Mr.  A. 
come  to  ( 
facts  know 
from  Sou< 
.  called  a  " 
matter,  wi 
the  coiinlr 
,  century. 

stood  It,  tc 

,  enact  no  li 

citizens  to 

ready  triei 

J  pursuing  I 

)  cessor,  n\( 

i  this   busir 

j  farthest  fi 

I  made  it. 

j  in  the  terr 

I  no  sgricul 

I      Siiecchc 

)  1840  to  '4; 

j  out  the  W 

!  re.se nta live 

i  tention  of 

i  and  advai 

.'  emigrants 

I  purposes ( 

j  the  wester 

\  what  had 

i  them  well 

?  men  who 

■!  peeled  ha( 

tend  over 

1  it  would 

/  would  see 

and  propc 

that  It  was 

possession 

men  to  do 

tuated  me 

that  pcrhi 

some;  but 

to  Oregon 

could  liavi 


(Mr.  EvAVs]  wra» 
ilty.     III!  dill  not 
ended  to  nmkc;  of 
iipprciicndcd  that 
the  heiid  of  wlioni 
iiH,  [Mr.  IIannk- 
ill   hiuulx  nn  their 
Vrsidciit  wlinl  thn 
[Mr.   IIaywdodJ 
ihiTeliy  he  nii:;lit 
of  Ores;on,  from 
•iVom  latitude  42^ 
North   Carolina 
Semite   that    the 
itention,bul  wish- 
on  on  the  parallel 
jni    Maine,    [Mr. 
mutruetion  of  the 
n  that  view  of  the 
so  objectionalilc; 
of  the  two  views 
lidcnt  wanted  the 
;  wanted  it  for  41)*^. 
Ar.  A.  would  ask 
Maine  to  the  cx- 
ent  himself  when 
tice.     He  thoiiifht 
plain  that  it  wa.s 
lifTerence  ofopin- 
as  to  be  put  upon 
irolina  [Mr.  Hay- 
I,  but  the  language 
icther  that  Senator 
■esident  or  not,  as 
the  Message,  he 
■ence  between   the 
iVhatdid  ihePres- 

!  having  failed,  it 
to  consider  what 
idopt  for  the  secii- 
ens  now  inhabiting 
Iregon,  and  for  the 
that  territory.  In 
rpose,  rare  should 

0  violate  the  slipu- 
n,  which  is  still  in 
in  their  letter  and 
list,  will  ever  be, 
le  United  States, 
'9  notice  is  required 

1  the  other  before 
linate,  and  Ijefore 
exercise  cxoluaive 

of  the  teri'itory, 
dgment,  be  pro])nr 

provision  be  made 
y,  and  tcrmiiiatin!; 
of  the  6th  of  Aug- 

1  liere  given  by  the 
this  resolution  for 
•  of  1818  might  be 
ill  objections  to  nc- 
";ht  ))e  pnt  an  end 
ueetj  propo.fed  to 
1  Oregon,  to  extend 
;stHblish  a  chain  of 
Indian  agencies  in 


tliat  cminlry,  the  advocates  of  these  measures 
had  been  met  upon  the  threshold  by  the  argu- 
ment, that  nil  these  things  were  nicon,sistent 
with  the  treaty.  Hence  arose  the  necessity,  if 
either  party  desired  to  extend  their  jurisdiction 
over  either  the  whole  oru  part  of  the  territory,  of 
annulling  the  convention  or  1818,  and  tlum  remov- 
ing all  obstaclts  from  their  path.  Mr.  A.  thought 
it  a  sufficient  answer  to  the  argument  of  the  Sena- 
tor from  Maine  [Mr.  Kvans]  to  remind  him  that, 
■whether  the  President  intended  to  a.ssert  the  juris- 
diction of  tJie  United  States,  eitlicr  now  or  here- 
after, to  the  whole  or  to  any  part  of  Oregon — 
whether  only  to  the  Columbia  river,  or  up  to  4'J°, 
or  to  the  whole  extent  of  54°  40' — the  necessity  of 
annulling  this  treaty  was  as  great  in  the  one  case 
as  in  the  other.  The  Senator  from  Maine  believed 
our  title  to  be  good  as  far  as  40°,  though  he  thought 
that  beyond  that  line  shadows,  riouds,  and  dark- 
ness rested  upon  it;  though,  on  the  whole,  we  had 
perhaps  a  better  title  than  anybody  else.  Admit- 
ting all  this  to  be  so,  still  this  notice  was  necessary 
before  wc  could  assert  and  establish  exclusive  Ju- 
ri.>idiction  to  any  part  of  the  country,  greater  or 
less. 

Mr.  A.  vent  on  to  say,  that  he  had  long  since 
come  to  the  conclusion — a  conclusion  based  on 
facts  known  to  all — that  the  policy  of  the  Senator 
from  South  Carolina,  who  udvocatad  what  was 
called  a  "wise  and  masterly  iiuictivity"  in  this 
matter,  would  not  answer.  Wc  never  should  get 
the  country  in  that  way  before  the  la|i.sc  of  half  a 
century.  The  Senator's  policy  was,  if  he  under- 
stood It,  to  do  just  nothing — to  make  no  move,  lo 
enact  no  law,  to  hold  out  no  encouragement  to  our 
citizens  to  settle  there.  This  course  had  been  al- 
ready tried.  This  was  the  course  wc  had  been 
pursuing  from  1818  to  1840,  when  Mr.  A.'s  prede- 
cessor, the  lamented  Dr.  Linn,  hau  first  moved  in 
this  business.  This  move  had  corac  from  the 
farthest  frontier  of  the  West.  At  the  time  he 
made  it,  there  was  not  a  solitary  American  settler 
in  the  territory.  Wc  had  no  trappers,  no  traders, 
no  agriculturists.     All  these  had  come  since. 

Si)ecchea  and  rejxirta  made  in  Congress  from 
1840  to  '43  had  been  diligently  distributed  through- 
out the  West  by  western  Senators;  and  the  Rep- 
resentatives in  the  other  House  had  called  the  at- 
tention of  tiic  people  of  the  West  to  the  condition 
and  advantages  of  this  new  territory.  The  first 
emigrants  wno  ever  went  into  thtit  country  for 
purposes  of  settlement  and  agriculture  went  from 
the  western  frontiers  of  the  Slate  of  Mis-souri — and 
what  had  been  their  inducement?  Mr.  A.  knew 
them  well;  he  was  ncrsonally  acquainted  with  the 
men  who  went;  ana  he  knew  that  what  they  ex- 
pected had  been  that  this  Government  would  ex- 
tend over  them  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  that 
it  would  make  to  them  donations  in  land,  and 
would  see  that  they  were  protected  in  their  rights 
and  property.  They  had  lieen  taught  to  believe 
that  It  was  an  object  with  this  Government  fo  take 
possession  of  that  territory,  and  they  were  just  the 
men  to  do  it.  It  had  been  said  that  they  were  ac- 
tuated merely  by  a  wild  spirit  of  ad\enture;  and 
that  perhaps  might  have  had  its  influ:';ce  with 
some;  !)ut  it  was  not  this  alone  which  carried  them 
to  Oregon.  Wild  as  that  spirit  might  be,  it  never 
could  have  induced  them  to  encounter  such  dangers 


and  ilifTlcultics  as  lay  l)etwcf  n  their  hnmes  and  thia 
new  country.  Moit  of  them  went  there  to  better 
their  I'oiidition.  Many  of  them  wtMC  poor  men 
with  large  families.  'I  hey  expected  amole  grants 
of  land,  and  they  were  willing  to  risk  their  lives 
and  eiieounlcr  every  privation  and  hardship  that 
they  might  better  tneir  own  comlition,  provide  a 
hdine  for  their  children,  and  curry  out  the  policy 
of  llie  Government.  In  1813,  the  first  company 
set  out  to  cross  the  wilderness  with  the  plough  and 
the  pruning  hook  in  one  hand,  and  with  defensive 
weapons  in  the  other.  Since  then  this  stream  of 
emigration  had  constantly  increased,  and  it  was 
increasing  at  the  present  hour.  But  carry  out  the 
masterly  inactivity  of  the  Senator  from  Soulli  Caro- 
lina, and  this  increasiiiir  stream  would  shortly 
dwindle  down  to  a  small  brook.  Those  brave  and 
hardy  pioneers  who  were  now  pouring  over  the 
mountains  with  their  herds  and  flocks,  would  no 
longer  be  seen  making  their  way  through  the  wil- 
derness as  soon  as  it  should  be  understood  that  the 
protection  of  this  Government  was  to  be  withheld; 
that  they  were  to  be  left  to  their  own  resources,  or 
obliged  to  become  British  tubjecLs.  Mr.  A.  spoke 
from  knowledge  when  he  said  that  from  that  time 
emigration  would  cense.  Hence  he  concluded  tliat 
the  Senator's  "  masterly  inactivity"  would  no 
longer  do. 

And  here  he  would  take  occasion  to  remark, 
that,  although  when  the  Senator  from  North  Car- 
olina, who  addressed  the  Senate  a  week  ago,  was 
speaking,  Mr.  A.  had  understood  at  the  time,  as 
he  believed  all  the  members  of  the  Senate  did  un- 
derstand, that  the  opinions  he  expressed  were  pre- 
tended by  him  to  be  those  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  yet  he  could  not,  on  redection,  reltr 
10  any  particular  expression  from  which  he  was 
justified  in  that  concUe  .on;  and  he  had  since  set- 
tled down  in  the  opinion  that  the  Senator  spoke 
not  from  the  mouth  of  the  President,  but  from  doc- 
uments and  from  the  record.  He  hiul  put  on  the 
language  of  the  President  a  difTerent  construction 
from  that  which  hiswordb  seemed  to  others  to  bear; 
nor  was  this  surprising,  for  we  found  that  even  the 
words  of  Holy  Wr it  were  viewed  by  men  under  very 
different  constructions,  and  hence  the  variety  of  re- 
ligious creeds.  The  Senator  from  North  Carolina, 
when  interrogated,  had  refused  to  answer.  He 
would  not  expressly  say  whether  he  spoke  with 
the  tongue  of  the  President  or  not.  But  Mr.  A. 
had  attributed  this,  in  part,  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  interrogatory  had  been  j)ut  to  him.  He  did 
not  altogether  blame  the  Senator  for  refusing  to 
answer  when  the  interrogatories  were  put  to  him 
in  a  manner  and  with  a  tone  of  voice  which  he 
deemed  exceptionable.  From  one  of  the  expres- 
sions employed  by  the  Senator,  Mr.  A.  was  led  to 
infer  that  the  reason  why  he  had  not  replied  was, 
that  he  would  not  a|^pear  to  answer  even  under 
constructive  compulsion  ■.  for  he  had  said  that,  out 
of  doors,  and  when  mild!/  requested,  he  would  do 
things  which  he  had  considered  somewhat  humili- 
ating, but  he  would  not  do  so  when  catechised  in 
his  |>lace  in  the  Senate.  From  the  whole  of  what 
the  Senator  said,  Mr.  A.  had,  on  reflection,  been 
brought  to  the  conclusion  that  he  derived  his  in- 
formation from  the  same  source  as  the  Senators 
from  Ohio  and  Indiana  did. 

Mr.  A.  said  he  must  here  be  allowed  to  go  back 


fo  the  l'cs:innin<;,  niul  in  i-rfoi-  for  a  nvmiont  to  llio 
views  wliicli  IukI  liocii  ciiiitiu'iuj  ill  the  IJiilliinair 
n'8i)liili(PH.i,  l)i<iiiis(:  llioy  wcm  in  iciilily  llu  (oiiii- 
(liiti<>ii  i)f  liiis  wliolc  |iriicrP(liii^'.  ill!  (lid  not  rilcr 
to  tlu!S(!  i(  siilnliiiiis  willi  liny  uliiiii|)t  to  nIiuw  lliat 
they  NViTfi  biiidiii:;  on  the  SiiiiUor  from  Miiiiic, 
f.\Ir.  l''vA\r,]  llir  Sciiiitor  IVoni  i\ow  JerHcy,  [Mr. 
Daytiis',]  or  lUv  Kcnalor  tVom  Miiiyliinil,  [Mr. 
J(UiNsiis,l  nor  timt  tlioy  wcii;  bindinf;  on  the 
ninsdr.i  ol  till'  Dcnioi'rulLc  |piirly;  lull  he  did  Ijc- 
lievc  tliitt,  on  every  iirinii|iltM>r;^ood  morals,  ilinsr 
reHolutions  \V(  re  liiiidins;  on  llic  mcnibrr.s  of  the 
(•iniveiition,  mid  on  tliosc  who  were  it.s  nominee*). 
The  declnriilion  of  llwit  eonvention  w;i.s,  in  mib- 
slanoe,  that  onr  title  to  the  whole  of  Oregon  was 
elear  and  nnqneslionalile. 

Now,  Mr.  A.  iiiRitited  that  the  PrtHidcnt  of  the 
United  Stales,  and  the  Vice  President,  or,  if  the 
lilierly  woidd  lie  allowed  him,  that  James  K. 
Polk  and  Gcor;;e  M.  Dallas,  were  bonnd  by  thut 
resolution,  becau.-<e,  if  they  dillVred  from  it  in  sen- 
linicnt,  rommon  honesty  reiiuired  tlieni  to  inform 
the  convention  of  that  fart,  and  to  decline  the 
nomination.  Was  not  thia  rii^ht?  Would  any 
gcntleniim  di.'sscnt  from  it.'  Hence  it  was  that  the 
Senators  from  Indiana  and  Ohio  had  allsidtd  to  the 
coiivcnlion  in  that  connexion.  Tliough  the  leso- 
lutioiis  al  I'iiltiniore  were  not  binding  on  the  Sena- 
tor from  M.iiiK!,  any  more  than  the  JS'ew  Testament 
was  binding'  on  a  iVIii.'.-.iulnian,  or  the  Wcstniir.stor 
Confession  of  Divin-s  on  a  Methodi.st  or  Bajitist, 
still,  if  they  iice.epted  the  nomination,  but  di.ssent- 
cd  from  the  rcsoluiions,  they  ought  to  have  stated 
the  fact  and  kIvcii  iheir  reasons. 

Mr.  A.  admitted  that  the  jjirat  musses  of  the 
Dcmocralic,  party  wcie  not  bound  by  all  those  re- 
Hohitiona.  When  n  man  joined  a  ]ioliti<'al  jiarty, 
or  joined  a  cliiirch,  thouirh  there  might  be  in  the 
tenets  of  that  party  or  that  church  some  which 
seemed  o'ljei-tioiiablc  toliim,  he  weighed  the  whole 
rase,  and  If,  on  the  whole,  he  believed  the  creed  of 
thnt  |>aily  or  church  to  be  better  than  that  of  any 
otiier,  he  might  conc'ude  to  Join  it,  though  he  had 
still  olijectioMS  to  some  of  its  o|)inions.  So,  if  Mr. 
A.  believed  the  Democratic  party  to  be  sound  in 
its  doctrines,  or,  on  the  whole,  better  lluiii  the  party 
opposed  to  it,  lie  would  join  it.  Yet  he  did  not 
thereby  bind  hini.self  to  adopt  every  opinion  it 
jnigbt  put  forth.  On  this  ground  it  was  that  he 
lieid  that  tin:  ma.sses  of  the  democracy  were  re- 
leased t'rom  the  obligation  of  resolutions  |iiisscd  at 
Ballimrjie.  But  the  President  of  the  Senate,  and 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  having  accepted 
the  nominations  of  the  convention  there  assembled, 
which  convention  had  put  I'orth  these  resolutions, 
were  eeiliiiidy,  in  common  honesty,  bound  by 
tliem.  riiiice  the  known  ground  taken  by  the 
PiTKident,  in  the  fact  of  his  accepting  the  nomina- 
tion, taken  in  coiniexior!  '.villi  the  language  of  his 
Message,  and  the  laiiin.iage  of  his  Inaugural,  left 
no  doui)t  as  to  what  his  opinions  really  were.  And 
v/ho  could  think  for  a  moment  that  the  President 
would  .sacrifice  riglils  which  he  had  himself  iiro- 
)lounced  to  be  <  lear  and  uiii|ueslioiiable,  and  he  a 
Dcmocrntic  Picsident?  If  the  President  could  do 
this,  then  Mr.  A.  had  no  clear  notions  of  right  and 
wrong.  If  he  had  been  ajipoiiited  guardian  over 
a  ward,  and  his  ward  had  a  dear  title  to  certain 
lands  which  were  claimed  by  a  third  I'.uty,  he 


would  put  it  to  ihe  common  .venr-e  and  common 
honesty  of  all  men  whellu'r  \\v  shoulil  ni>t  be  dere- 
lict to  the  .s.icii'd  duty  he  owed  to  the  falln  iIchm,  if 
he  yieldtd  up  a  half  or  a  ouarter  of  the  land.  'I'lun, 
if  the  Pnsdent  of  the  llnildl  Slates,  in  the  very 
fust  act  of  his  oHicial  liie,  had  diM'larcd  our  title  lii 
Oregon  to  be  clear  and  uiKpieslioiiable,  mid  the 
people  were  fast  going  into  Oregon  to  eoiisunnuale 
that  title  by  uctual  jioM.session,  bow  could  he  now 
go  back  from  that  ground  and  rcliiKjuish  the  tc  rri- 
tory  by  compromi.se?  When  the  |icople  of  the 
West  heard  liis  declaration  (Ui  this  subject,  the 
whole  Deiuocnilic  pnrly,  as  ota^  man,  and  large 
masses  of  the  Whig  party  also,  threw  up  their 
ca|)S,  and  huzzaed  for  Polk  and  Dallas,  Jlis  di:c- 
laralion  was  hailed  and  sanctioned  by  the  Demo- 
cratic, presses  everywhere,  and  by  numerous  pub- 
lic nijeiings.  The  deeliiratioii  was  three  tunes 
reiterated  in  the  eonr.sc  of  his  Message.  In  one 
clause  of  it  he  declared  that  our  title  to  the  whole 
I  of  Oregon  was  the  best  in  existence.  Then  he 
'  says: 

"  With  this  conviction,  the  proposition  of  cnm- 
'  promi.se  which  had  been  made  and  rejected  was, 
'  tiy  my  direciinu,  sulise(|u(ntly  withdrawn,  ami 
'our  title  to  the  whole  Oregon  territory  asserted, 
'and,  as  is  believed,  nLtintaincd  by  irrefragable 
'  facts  and  arguments." 

In  another  place  he  holds  similar  language.  IJut, 
not  content  with  threi'  times  declaring  Ihe  clearness 
of  our  title,  the  President,  in  his  Message,  made  n 
further  declaration,  which  the  Senalor  from  Nortii 
Carolina  did  not  dwell  upon,  and  in  which  he 
carried  the  matter  to  the  extremest  jioint: 

"  Near  a  tpiarter  of  a  century  ago,  the  principle 
'  was  distiiKtly  announced  to  the  world,  in  the 
'  Annual  Message  of  one  of  my  prrderes.sors,  'that 
'  the  American  continents,  by  the  free  and  iiule- 
'  [lendent  condition  which  they  have  a.'isumed  and 
'  maintain,  are  henceforth  not  to  lie  considered  a.s 
'siibjepis  for  future  colonization  by  any  Kuropeaii 
'Power.'  This  principle  will  apply  with  greatly 
'increased  force,  should  any  European  Power  at- 
'  tempt  to  establish  any  new  colony  in  North 
'  America.  In  the  exisliiig  eirciiinstanecs  of  the 
'  world,  the  present  is  deemed  a  proper  occ;\sion  to 
'  reiterate  and  reaffirm  the  princiiile  avowed  by 
'  Mr.  Monroe,  and  to  slate  my  cordial  coiicurrenco 
'  in  ils  wisdom  and  sound  prilicy.  The  ri -asserlion 
'of  this  principle,  especially  in  reference  to  North 
'  America,  is  at  this  day  but  the  promulg.ition  of  a 
'  policy  which  no  European  Power  should  cherish 
'  the  disposition  to  resist." 

Now,  Mr.  \.  understood  this  to  he  an  iisserlion 
by  the  President  that  neither  England  nor  any  oth- 
er Power  would  be  permitted  to  coUmi/.i'.  on  this 
continent:  that  it  was  not  open  for  coloni/iitioii  to 
any.     Whether  in   this   language   he  referred  to 
Oregon  or  not,  Mr.  A.  could  not  underlake  to  say, 
j  though  he  believed   that  that  was  the  only  purt  of 
I  the  continent  at  present  tree  and  unoccupied.    Did 
he  meiui  Oregon.'  or  did  Ik;  mean  California.-    Did 
I  he  mean  to  siy  that  wo  should    yield  u))  part  of 
,  Oregon  for  the  ex|irt!>'  purpose  of  jMirr)peaii  ( olo- 
;  nizalion.'     Mr.  A.  could  not  for  a  moment  believe 
'  it.     Did  he  mean  to  include  Mexico.'     And  to  de- 
clare that  she  should    not   transfer  California  to 
I  eilher  England  or  France?    That  lliis  Government 
I  would  forbid  her  to  do  so  r    If  so,  then  he  went  » 


step  beyond 
lA'  Oicgdu  ; 
ro|ieail  coloi 
;  try  would  r 
It  was  ve: 
these  topics 

■  on  these  sill 

■  put  foilh  b_v 

Ifloiii  Ohio,  i 
guard  who 
the  Senate. 
f  th(!y  were  b 
j  Mr.  A.  stoi 
1  but  small  c,( 
1  part  of  the  t 

tlU'M  (lid,  till 

enforce  or  U 

.Oreiroii,  it  V 

Lie  aiguniel 

much  pri  fei 

.  Htor  from  Si 

'  would  be  \v 

we  should  ( 

latiliide,  am 

In  this  senti 

I  [Ml.  IIann 

i\Ir.  H.vv 

Mr.  A  re  I 

,  the  (|ueKlioii 

'  aiirncd  by  I 

iCalhuiin,]  V 

:nmii  now  in 

jail,]  as  well 

I  New   York, 

argued  it  tie 

;reat  iiijusi 

been  so  \v(  II 

A  very  pr 

of  Oregon  w 

wc  ought  to 

England  liai 

of  the  territ 

if  her  title  w 

nch  of  it  to 

war. 

A  quest  io 
llirii'ly  of  d 
^oiild  nut  Si 
Jilid  net  pre 
Ijipiiiion  who 
liimseir,  he  ! 
iitor.s  shouM 
rather  that  t 
at,  if  they 
ion  woulj  ] 
itharir(il  will 
the  nilli.sh 
fipjil'iiveil  th 
for  friMii  Mi 
'  iresuiiH'  to 
solemn  duty 
lami;  to  the 
title  to  the  V 
(ban  wo  hail 
ry  on  the 
kinjust  war. 
|s  right  and 
liould  be  ei 
It  led  on.     J 


■f  mill  commnn 

Mild  iii't  lie  (ItTc- 
tlic  fallii  ilcKH,  if 
llic  llllill.  'I'llrll, 
iili's,  ill  l!i(;  Vfiy 
Imi'i'iI  iiur  lltic  t(i 
iiiiiibic,  mid   llic 

I  til  l'OM-<lllllllllllC 

w  cmiUI  In;  MOW 
n(|ui.-ili  ilio  Irri'i- 
r   |ii'<)|il('   of  llic 

llis     Hllllj<M-|,    llll! 

iiian,  and  lnr<;;c 

tlirrvv  nil   llirir 

•mI1;ih.     Ilisdrc 

d  liy  the  Diiim- 

llllllll'I'OUS    llllll- 

vii.H  llnce  liiiu's 
[('ss;i;;<'.  In  one 
illf,  t(i  the  whole 
ciice.     Tliiii  lie 

position  of  com- 
id  rcjci'led  \vn«, 
rtitliidawii,  iilnl 
^nitnry  n.s.sfiiril, 
liy  inefiagiilile 

r  hiMsua-ie.  IJut, 
iiiu;  llu'  rli'iiiiicss 
i/Ic.sHiiire,  nmde  n 
Mioi-  fnini  North 
id  in  which  hu 
t  jxiiiit: 
:;i),  tlie  |iriii(i|ilo 

0  worlii,  ill  thi; 
rdrrpssors,  'tliiit 
;  Pice  and  iuilf!- 
ivc  atlsiiiiicd  and 

I'oiisidcnil  us 
y  any  Europiaii 
)ly  with  gicutly 
ilioan  Power  at- 
ilimy  in  North 
inslanres  of  tlio 
(i|icr  oc'i';'..'<ion  to 
ijilc  avowed  by 
dial  conrurrciicn 
Tlie  i(-!issi'rlion 
'eicni-n  lo  Norlli 
romnl^ntion  of  iv 
r  .sliuuld  chiirish 

1  be  mi  nssrrtion 
nnd  nor  any  nlh- 
coloni/.c  on  tiiis 
'  roliini/i.lioii  lo 

lip  rrfciTcd  to 
iiderlake  to  say, 
the  only  part  of 
noi'c.iipied.  Did 
Ciilifornia?  Did 
t'ieid  u))  part  of 
jMiropcaii  ( olo- 
nioment  liclieve 
o?  And  to  dc- 
•r  f'lilifoniia  to 
luM  (^ovi  Tiiniciit 
then  lie  went  a 


Htcp  beyond  IM.-.  A.;  but  iho  momrni  nny  portion 
J  of  Orti;nii  sboiilil  bf  irddl  l"ir  llie  |.iii|i'Ne  of  Ku 
I  roptaii  eoloiii/atiiiii,  c\ery  Ifiicut  man  in  the  coim- 
':  try  would  reimdiale  the  deed. 

1 1  wart  very  iiiiphasaiil  I'lr  Mr.  A.  to  dwell  on 

thi'Ni'  lopirs.    Ill  arkiiiiwled^ed  that  lie  eiili  rtaiiiril 

on  these  ^Mll>jl  el.s  the  same  views  v.  Iiiili  had  been 
J  put  forth  by  the  Si.niitor  from  Indiana,  theSiiiator 

iiioiii  Olilo,  and  the  nsidue  of  the  .small  loi  {loral'N 
miani  who  were  the  51'-'  40'  men  on  the.  Iloor  of 
till:  Senate.     If  their  nniiiber  \m n^  Mlill  .-inalli  r — if 
,  they  were  1  nl  two;  nay,  if  lliey  u  ere  but  one,  and 
I  l\lr.  A.  stood  alone,  it  would  be  to  him  a  niaiter  of  |  finn'  of  Inr  litli 
I  but  Hiiiall  e.niMeinienee.      ISiit  he  Would  leave  this 
1  part  of  the  siibji  rt.     If  he  believed,  as  .fonie  Seiia- 
tor.'i  (lid,  that  the  President  de.sired   this  iioti'.e  to 
enforce  or  to  iiidme  the  wiirreiider  of  any  portion  of 
Oieu'oii,  it  wimid  be  with  him  the  slroii;;est  possi- 
ble m'^miieiit  iiKainsI  the  measuie;  nay,  he  .should 
iiiiK'h  |in  fer  lilt!  "iiiasti'riy  inaelivity"  of  the:  Sen- 
ator from  South  Carolimi.     In  that  ease  inaelivity 
would   be  \i  ise  niid   lila.'-terly.     I5ylheoiiee.olir.se 
we  nhoiild  certainly  lose  five  and  a  half  degrees  of 
latiliide,  mid  by  the  other  we  could  lose  lio  more. 
In  this  .seiilinieiit  I  believe  my  friend  from  Indiana 
I  [All.  II  wnkuvn]  fully  eoiniirs  with  me. 
Mr.  1 1  ASS'KK.w  nodded  assent. 
Mr.  j\Tmis(i>(  Haid  he  did  not  intend  to  sjo  into 
ilie  i|iiisiioii  of  title:  that  had  be(tii  well  and  fully 
.irL'iied  by  the  Senator  from  South  Carolina,  [Mr. 
;  f'allioiin,]  wlieii  Secretary  of  State;  by  the  ;;,  ntle- 
I  man  now  in  the  Deparliin^nlof  .Stale,  [Air.  Iiiiclian- 
jaii,]  as  well  as  by  the  distiiijjiiislied  Senator  from 
I  New   York,   [Mr    iJii  kinsci.v,!   who  had  no  ably 
[argued  it  the  oilier  day.     Mr.  .V  slionld  do  himself 
L'leat  iiijustiee  if  licj  attempted  u  task  which  had 
been  so  well  performed. 

A  very  proper  in((uiry  would  be,  to  what  portion 
of  Oregon  we  wen;  entitled;  because  to  that  extent 
we  (Might  to  assert  our  rights.  If  he  thought  that 
lEiiglaiid  liad  ii  belter  title  than  we  lo  any  iiorlion 
of  the  territory,  he  would  let  her  have  il;  leit  not 
if  her  title  was  diMibtfiil;  so(,ii(  r  than  snrriiider  an 
inch  of  it  lo  her  on  a  doublftil  title,  he  would  go  lo 
war. 

A  question  had  been  raised  liere  as  to  the  ]irii- 
ijiriety  of  discussing  li(;rc.  llu;  Hritish  title.  He 
jwould  not  say  how  far  this  might  be  proper.  lie 
^ilid  net  proless  to  be  very  competent  lo  form  an 
.ii)piiiioii  when  so  liinh  aiilhoritii  s  dlllered;  but,  for 
iniself,  he  should  think  it  highl)'  proper  that  Seii- 
.Uor;:  .'<liiMiM  di.scusM  it.  C'erlainly,  he  would  miieh 
(•ather  lli.it  liiey  should  do  so  than  throw  out  hints 
■'lat,  if  they  (Uily  dared  to  do  it,  and  public  opiii- 
.  m  Would  permit  them,  and  lliey  should  not  be 
cliaririil  with  leiiig  Ilritish  AVhigs,  they  coulj  show 
the  Ihilish  title  lo  be  as  clear  as  a  sinibeain.  lie 
lipjMMved  the  manly  course  pursued  by  the  Sena- 
tor from  Aluine,  [Air.  Ev.xns,]  ihiMigh  he  did  not 
insniiie  to  pass  an  opinion.  He  held  it  to  be  a 
;(-Ienin  duly  of  a  Senator,  if  he,  on  exainiiialion, 
imt;  to  the  eoiictiisioii  that  England  had  a  belter 
itle  to  the  whole  or  any  iimtioii  of  the  lerritoiy 
ban  wo  hail,lo  enlighten  iheSeiiaU;  and  Iheeoiiii- 
ry  on  the  subject,  lest  we  should  be  led  into  an 
njust  war.  'I  he  motto,  lo  ask  nothing  but  what 
<  right  and  lo  .siibmit  to  nothing  tiiat  is  wrong, 
hoiild  be  engravi  II  in  lein  is  of  gold,  and  always 
ttlcd  on.     He  could  not  but  approve  the  eourscof 


the  Seimliir  from  Ataiiie,  ihoiigli  very  high  aiitlior- 
ity  could  be  pleaded  on  llie  other  side.  A  distin- 
giiisheil  Senator  had  said  that  liis  longlie  should 
be  lilisleMd  ill  his  mouth  bel'on:  il  shiaild  utter  a 
word  against  (Mir  title  wliih;  it  was  under  liegotiii- 
lion.  The  Senator  might  be  right;  Mr.  A.  wiaiUI 
not  undertake  lo  pa.ss  jiidgnielil  between  tliein;  but 
for  himself,  if  he  believed  the  English  lilh;  to  be 
latler  than  our  own,  his  tmigue  should  be  blislt;red 
in  his  mouth  In  fore  he  should  say  u  word  to  ue- 
pri\e  her  of  her  just  right.  He  sIkjiiM  consider 
ini'.elf  lis  doing  his  duty  wliile  speaking  in  de- 

■'  ' ■'         Hi;  should  hold  il  lo  be  u  duty' 

to  'lis  country  to  |Meveiit  Ik  r,  so  far  as  he  eoidd, 
from  riisiiing  into  an  niirighienns  war.  He  tlii-ew 
iMil  these  views  with  all  deference  lo  the  bi;tler 
jildgiin  III  of  oth(  r  more  abb;  and  exjii  rieiieed  Sena- 
tors. They  involved  a  i|iiestiini  in  morals;  anil  he 
did  not  think  himself  much  tkilled  in  ipt(.sii(ni8  of 
that  sort. 

The  I'lesjdent  deelarrd  our  title  to  bo  rienr  nnd 
uii(|Uesiionable  lo  the  "whole  of  Oregon."  Hut 
the  Sei  ator  iVoin  Norlli  Carolina  [Air.  II:  .  ...kid] 
I'iiised  a  (|Uesli(m  as  to  what  was  llu;  "  whole  of 
Oiitgoii."  This  was  rather  a  new  (|UCstion.  They 
had  been  in  the  habil,  in  the  AVesI,  of  (ailing  nil 
that  tract  of  eoimlry   lying    between    the   Rock^ 


i<„. 


ceil    the    liocky 
uid  l)etw(;en  Cal- 


nionnlains  iiiid  the  I'acilie  ocean,  luii 
ifaiiia  and  the  Russian  possessions,  Oregon.  He 
believi  il  all  the  inoderii  maps  laid  it  down  us  such, 
lhoie;li  he  had  not  examined  particularly. 

I'lit  the  Senator  from  North  Carolina  had  also 
said  that  the  President  wmild  (;onipromise  on  4!P, 
and  he  W(  lit  on  lo  make  n  plausible  argument  to 
show  thai  this  was  so  because  the  President  hnd 
aclnally  olUred  to  ('oinproniisi;  on  that  line.  Put, 
if  Mr.  A.  understood  the  President,  he  said  ihnt 
that  oflVr  had  lieeii  made  against  his  belter  Jud";- 
iiienl,  and  (Mily  (Mil  of  (h  ference  lo  the  acts  of  his 
predece.s.so'-.<;  and  ihar  he  had  on  that  grouiul  eon- 
diuied  the  IK  goti.ition  with  a  view  to  eomproini.se. 
This  w.'is  l!i(;  excuse  la;  oll'c  red  to  the  Ain';rienn 
people  tor  making  the  oiler.  Ibit  when  the  ofl'er 
was  withdrawn,  then  he  spoke  in  llie  language  of 
exultation,  as  if  he  was  relieved  from  nn  opprea- 
sive  load  of  responsibility.  I  le  sp  ike  then  like  the 
President  of  tlie  Uniled  Stales,  or,  as  his  fi-ieml 
near  him  sn':!,'e.-:led,  like  Old  Hiekory.  And  it 
seemed  sonic  source  of  sell'-gralulation  thai,  though 
he  h.id  oll'i  led  49'',  yet  Ik;  had  not  gone  iiuite  us 
far  as  some  of  his  predeces.sors,  but  bad  refused 
to  aci omiiany  it  with  the  irtvigaiion  of  the  Coluin- 
liia  river,  ("  the  navigation  of  an  unnavigable  riv- 
er," a.s  the  Senator  from  Maine  called  it.)  The 
Presiileill  says: 

"  With  this  eonvicti.in,  the  propo.»»ttion  of  com- 
'  proiiiisi;  which  hnd  b(;eii  made  and  rejected  was, 
'  by  my  direction,  siibseiiuenlly  withilrawn,  nnd 
'  our  title  to  the  whole  Oregon  lerrit(u-v  nssertcd, 
'and,  as  is  believed,  maintained  by  irrefrngablo 
'  ficls  and  aigumenls. 

"  The  civilized  world  will  .see  in  these  proeecd- 
'  inns  .a  sjiirit  of  liberal  eoiicessioii  on  the  part  of 
'  tin;  Uniled  S'at(;s,  and  this  tJoverinnenl  will  be 
'  relieved  frmii  all  responsibility  which  may  follow 
'  tlie  failure  lo  sellle  the  e  uitrovcrsy." 

Did  In;  iiol  speak  with  exultation  of  having  wi'th- 
dniwii  iIk;  o(r(  r,  and  ulRrnicd  our  tide  to  the  whole 
territory  ?  ^ 


I(>  Ills  |i|'(.'lli:i'('H 
■(ili(ill,li(' Wouli 


Uiil  the  Senator  from  North  Cnroliim  aiiiil,  in  »iil)- 
iituncr>,  (nH  well  ns  Mr.  A.  rK'ollcclcil  lii.s  m|ici'(Ii,) 
tlint  if  tlio  Prcsidciit  Imil  iliiiincd  any  |>ortioii 
of  tlic  li'rritory  liryoml  tin;  liilitudf:  of  4IP,  Ik; 
would  liiivr  degradrd  liiniNcIf  iiiid  diHliiiiior((l  liin 
coiiiilry.  itui,  wliut  was  worst  of  nil,  lie  had  iit- 
U'in|)tt'd  to  jirovc  llii;.  Tin,'  IVesidcnt  saiil  lie  lia<l 
maac  llic  oflVr  of  49°  in  defi-rt'iico  to  Ids 
BorH-,  liut,  if  this  had  Ix't'ii  a  new  nucsli 
not  have  done  it.  Mr.  A.  woula  not  hrir  ^o  into 
n  history  of  what  his  |(i<'d(i'esHoiH  had  done,  luit 
he  would  lay  down  one  c.lrar  prinriplc  of  tin:  law 
of  cvidcnoe.  And  he  did  not  see  why  ii  eleur  prin- 
ciple applying  to  the  rights  of  persons,  did  not  ap- 
ply with  emial  truth  and  jiistiee  to  tho  rights  of 
naliniiH.  Tlie  prineijile  was  litis  :  that  ii  proposi- 
tion of  A  to  n  to  settle  a  dispute  hetween  them 
could  nolhct^iveii  in  evidence  when  they  eaine  into 
court  to  try  tlieir  rights;  and  this  applied  a.s  well  to 
real  as  to  personal  property.  Sueli  was  the  law; 
and  iCit  was  fliuiided  in  justiee,  why  did  it  not  ap- 
ply to  natiouH?  If,  in  effortH  to  settle  a  national 
dispute  in  an  amiealdc  manner,  propositions  should 
he  made  by  one  nation  to  the  other,  eould  it  proj)- 
erly  he  saiil  that  the  proposing  nation  was  hound 
by  that  ofTer  afterwards?  lie  thought  not.  I'ut 
if  the  Prciident  was  bound  to  arcept  the  parallel  of 
49°  becauKc  his  jiredeeessors  hud  offered  it,  then 
he  must  be  bound  also  to  yield  the  navigation  of 
tlie  Columbia  river.  If  he  was  bound  by  a  part  he 
was  bound  by  the  whole. 

If  Mr.  A.  recollected  right,  in  the  correspondence 
which  preceded  the  conventions  of  1H18,  and  in 
1824  and  18'i6,  propositions  offered  by  both  par- 
ties were  subsequently  withdrawn,  iiiufer  a  protest 
that  the  offer  should  not  affect  their  righl.s  there- 
after. This  made  the  nrgunieni  for  Mr.  A.  stronger, 
and  that  for  the  Senator  from  North  Carolina 
weaker. 

But  the  Hnmc  Senator  took  other  ground,  which 
he  argued  more  plausibly.  He  said  that,  by  the 
treaty  of  Utrecht,  the  line  of  4'.P  was  established 
as  a  boundary.  It  was  some  time  since  Mr.  A. 
had  examined  the  history  of  that  treaty,  but  he 
had  looked  into  the  treaty  itself  the  last  evening. 
He  found  that  the  line  of  49°  was  not  mentioned 
in  the  treaty  at  all.  If  it  had  been,  there  would 
have  been  no  need  of  appiiinling  commissioners 
to  "  prescribe"  the  line.  There  was  no  evidence 
that  this  had  ever  been  done.  Mr.  Greenhow, 
who  stated  this,  held  a  respectable  position  in  the 
State  Department,  and  had  been  furnished  with 
the  amplest  means  of  investigation;  and,  in  his 
work,  he  asserted  that  there  was  no  proof  that  this 
line  ever  was  prescribed  as  the  treaty  directed. 
He  proved  this  conclusively,  both  positively  and 
negatively;  and  held  it  a  mistake  in  Mr.  Monroe 
and  othera  to  suppose  that  it  had  been. 

But,  after  all,  what  was  the  amount  of  his  ar- 
gument? Suppose  the  line  was  run,  and  that  it 
extended  to  the  ocean:  did  it  not  show  the  arro- 
gance, the  superlative  arrogance  of  England,  to 
claim  territory  south  of  that  line?  England  was  a 
party  to  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  and  must  have  been 
aware  of  all  its  provisicms.  If  the  argument  of  the 
Senators  from  Maine  and  Maryland  was  correct, 
what  became  of  the  English  title  south  of  the  line 
of  49°?  Yet  some  Senators  insisted  that  she  had 
a  title  to  the  territory  south  of  43°,  and  that  we 


ought  to  Hurrrnder 
peaie  of  the  world. 


it  to  her  for  the  sake  of  the 


!aw.  The 
letweeii  th( 
diiinnelled 
t  is  paralle 
tiairow  buy 
'  inhannali, 
y  the  lull 
lade  by  .S 
Tossed  lliii 
iig   to    Kiii 


The  ar:;uineiit  was  good  thiif<  far.  It  was  a  fair 
infereiiie  fi'iiii  ihe  treaty  of  1H19,  thai  because^  the 
parallel  of  49°,  wl.'  ''  was  our  boundary  wiili 
(ileat  Hrilaili,  ran  fi.  ni  the  Lake  of  the  Woods 
to  the  Uocky  mountains,  that  there  it  slopped: 
then  we  agreed  to  the  joint  occupancy  of  tin;  whole 
territory  beyond  the  mountains,  leaving  the  title 
in  abeyance,  anil  beyond  the  mounlains  the  par- |.|,y,.r,,,|  ||.,, 
lies  were  thrown  on  their  original  rights  to  the ;  p|,e  ,.jyp,.  y 
whole.  Mr.  A.  agreed  with  the  Senalor  iVinn  [.'in/or  in  I 
Michigan,  [Mr.  Cash,]  when  lie  declined  that  he  v„h  „uiile  i 
was  unable'  to  see  why  this  parlicular  line  of  49°  Einrlmid  in 
north  was  offered  .'IS  a  comiironiise  boundary.  The  o  this  coa.-i 
sole  reason  could  not  be  lliat  it  was  our  boundary  liihcr  ng„i, 
east  of  the  mounteiiis,  and  that  we  held  the  eoun-  ^       ' 

try  south  of  that  line  by  contiguity :  for  with  so 
great  a  mountain-barrier  in  the  way,  none  could 
contend  that  contiguity  idorie  could  give  title;  but 
if  it  did,  contiguity  ran  as  well  from  south  to  north 
as  from  ra:-.t  to  west;  and  if  so,  the  country  north 
of  California  belonged  as  much  to  S])ain  f>y  con- 
tiguity us  the  country  north  of  49°,  and  west  of  the 
mounlains  belongt-d  by  contiguity  to  England. 
AVe  claimed  the  whole  country  uniler  the  Spanish 
title,  as  well  as  by  our  own  right  of  discovery. 

The  Senator  from  Maine  tried  to  shake  our  title 
from  discovery  and  settlement  by  saying  that  Mr 
Astor,  who  settled  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia, 
was  in  partnership  with  a  British  subject  from 
Canada;  but  Mr.  Greenhow  slated  that  the  greater 
port  of  those  who  settled  Astoria  were  Americans, 
and  that  none  were  Canadians  but  the  tiajipers. 
But  supposing  that  they  were  all  Canadians,  and 
that  the  settlement,  therefore,  according  to  the  Sen 
ator,  might  os  well  be  culled  a  British  settlement 
as  uii  American,  was  it  not  a  lillle  strange  that 
England  should  send  out  a  ship-of-wor  to  capture 
her  own  ])0st,  and  should  return  to  us  ot  the  peace 
a  British  settlement  which  wc  never  possessed! 
England  herself  had  answered  the  Senator's  argu- 
ment. 

The  Senotor  from  Maine  admitted  that  our  title 


he  Spanis 

oast  rarrii 

Irained  by  i 

hey  flow. 

11  Oregon  n 

alives  con 

Stales,  and 

''nglish   fii 

ormed  citli 

iiountaiiiN, 

.eriience  ol 

leiil  occupii 

With  the 

woiilcl  ni 

nilh  the  Pr 

he  best  in 

Irop  (if  b|( 

■ilates  Ireas 

ion  of  it  w 

■    he  way  of 

'     edged  our 

■mail  e(|iiiv 

lower  10  fii 

recs  of  l:ii 

Hilt  I  lie 

'oiue   ve 

iile  ini;'lit 

119°.    ^'et, 


y 


was  good  to  the  Columbia  valley;  biitif  so,  whystop  Vonika  S 
at  49°,  for  the  northernmost  waters  of  the  Colum 
bia  had  their  source  as  far  north  as  53°?  Here, 
then,  we  lo.st  four  degrees.  But  more  than  that,  by 
establishing  the  line  of  49°  wc  should  lose  twenty- 
nine-thirtieths  of  Vancouver's  Island,  which  was 
the  most  importmit  portion  of  the  whole  territory, 
and  indeed  of  the  whole  northwest  coast.  Now,  Mr. 
A.  had  thought  thol  if  there  was  any  strength  in 
the  argument  of  the  Senator  from  New  York,  [Mr. 
Dix,]  it  was  in  that  part  of  it  which  established  the 
Spanislj  title  to  Vancouver's  Island.  The  Span- 
iards were  the  fir.st  who  discovered  it,  the  first  who 
surveyed  it,  and  the  first  who  occupied  it.  If  they 
had  a  title  to  any  port  of  the  coast,  it  was  to  Vau- 
couvcr'.s  Island. 

Mr.  A.  then  repeated  that  he  could  see  no  rea- 
son why  our  title  was  to  stop  at  the  49th  degree. 
If  England  had  any  valid  title  to  Frizer's  ri\er 
— if  she  could  show  any  better  title  to  that  valley 
than  we  could,  why  let  us  yield  it  up  to  her.  There 
did  not,  however,  exist  the  slightest  cidor  of  title 
on  the  side  of  Great  Britain  to  the  Frazer-rivcr 
country.  Our  title  in  our  own  right  and  as  the 
grantees  of  Spain  is  complete  here  and  without  a 


■  iniuM',  li:ii 
egoliators 
lankeil  Ijii 

Hilt  till 
naled  lliiit 
olten  up  t' 
reat  place 
lien  out 
ent'einiin  ' 
hi.-^  procei 
notivi  sr 
ield  our 
residents 
nd  he  wa: 

iioraKli 
Vheii  the 
f  high 
lies,  he  yi 
till  lo  (I 
he  rcsohil 

r.  A.  wei 
cxioii.s — I 
is  State 


ir  ihn  snke  of  the 
fur.     It  wnfl  n  fair 

,  tllUl    lnTmiH(!   lllf 

ir  li(niii(l;iiy  with 
ikf  <if'  lilt;  WooiIh 

lliriT  it  xliippcil : 
mricy  of  tli<!  wIkiIc 
IcHviiif;  till!  title 
iDUiilniiiM  till-  par- 
;iiinl  ri>;litM  to  the 
lliu  Sciiuliir  t^'iiin 
d(  rlitrr'il  tlint  lie 
iruliir  line  of  4\)P 
80  boiiMiliiry.  'I'tic 
wiiH  our  l)oiiii(li>ry 
we  held  the  coun- 
fuity;  for  with  ho 

wiiy,  none  could 
)uld  give  title;  hut 
-oiii  Himth  to  north 

the  country  north 

to  SjMiin  ny  con- 
\P,  nnd  west  of  the 
;uily  to  Kii^liiud. 
uniler  the  Spanish 
it  ofdiHcovery. 
1  to  Hhake  our  title 
ly  suyiiig  lliiU  Mr 

I  of  the  Colunibin, 
itish  subject  from 
ted  ihiit  the  grenter 

II  wi^rc  Americ.uns, 
but  the  trnppers. 

ill  Canadians,  and 
cording  to  the  Sen- 
British  settlement 
little  Htriinge  that 
|i-of-wnr  to  capture 
ri  to  us  at  the  peace 

1  never  possessed? 
the  Senator's  nrgu- 

nitted  that  our  title 
;  but  if  so,  why  stop 
iters  of  the  Coluin- 
rth  as  53°?  Here, 
more  than  that,  by 
diould  lose  twenty- 
Island,  which  was 
he  whole  territory, 
st  coast.  Now,  Mr. 
as  any  strength  in 
Ti  New  York,  [Mr. 
Iiich  establiKhed  the 
■iland.  The  Span- 
red  it,  the  first  who 
ccujiied  it.  If  they 
lOst,  it  was  to  Van- 

le  could  .see  no  rea- 
at  the  49tli  degree. 

2  to  Frizer's  ri\er 
title  to  that  valley 

it  up  to  her.  There 
;hteHt  color  of  title 
;o  the  Frazcr-river 
n  right  and  as  th< 
here  and  without  a, 


flaw.     The  valley  of  Prnzri's  river  is  rnvelopi'd 
lietween  the  Coluinbia  on  the  east  and  the  <lc(j)ly- 
flmnnclliii  KeacoaKt  mi  the  west,  to  both  of  wliirh 
;  is  par.illcl.     That  river  itself  disrhaiijrM  into  the 
arrow  buy  behind  VancouviT's  Island,  as  the  Sus- 
urhaniiali,  I'oloniac,  and  other  rivers,  are  received 
y   the   inland   ('hcMapeake,     The   deNulloiy   trip 
nade  by  Sir  Alexander  Markcn/.ie,  in  wlmh  he 
Tossed  this  river  near  the  Tilth  decree,  and  r<  liirn- 
iig   to    Kiif^l.-ind,  riiiiirled   hiiii.ii  If  mm  liaviii::  dix- 
:iivered  tl.e  upper  (  oliinibia,  anioiiiilH  to  iintbiiig. 
The  river  was  identified,  iiavig,ited,nnd  named  by 
!''ra/.er  in  1KI2,  during  the  war,  and  no  exception 
vas  made  in  ibi^  general  restoration  made  to  us  by 
England  in  tH]H.     Kngland  never  claimed  any  title 
o  this  coast  or  the  streams  deboueliing  through  it 
•ilhcr  against  Spain  or  th"  United  States  prior  to 
Ihe  Spanish  concession  to  us.     The   title  to  the 
!oast  carries  with  it  the  streams  and  the  coniilry 
trained  by  them  as  far  as  the  highlaiids  from  whii'li 
hey  (low.    England  has  here  as  well  as  elsewhere 
■  n  Oregon  a  temporary  right  to  free  trade  with  the 
lativcs  conceded  to  her  by  Spain  and  the  United 
States,  and  no  more.     Whatever  settlement   the 
■English   fur   companies   may  at   any    time   have 
ormed  cither  here  or  elsewhere  beyond  the  Rocky 
iiouiitains,  are  stipulated  to  be  only  Cor  the  cipii- 
icnience  of  trade,  and  to  give  no  right  of  perma- 
nent oi'eiiimncy. 

With  these  views  of  our  title  which  he  had,  Mr. 
\.  would  not  yield  up  one  inch  of  it,  for  he  thought 
ivitli  the  President  that  our  title  to  the  whole  was 
he  best  in  the  world,  mid  h('  would  spend  the  last 
Imp  of  iiloiid  and  the  last  dollar  in  tli<:  United 
■Slates  treasuiy  befoic  he  would  yield  up  any  pur- 
ion  of  it  without  a  just  and  fair  cfiuivalcnt.  In 
he  way  of  trade,  iiuiecd,  after  l''.u?;land  aekiiow- 
edged  our  title,  he  would  be  williiii:  to  take  a  very 
nnall  eiiiiivaieiii;  and  if  we  hud  the  coiislitutional 
lower  10  .•^iirrcMili  r  up  to  Iwr  two-and-a-half  de- 
jrecs  of  laliliide,  lie  would  say,  let  lirr  take  it. 

Hut  the  Senator  from  Maine  seemed  to  liiin  to 
joine  very  reluctantly  to  the  eonelusioii  that  our 
itie  luitrht  run  by  pos-ibilily  half  a  degree  luirtli  of 
1!)^.  Yet,  by  the  Nootka  treaty,  it  did  exleiid  up  to 
Voiilka  Sound,  and  iIk;  Setialor,  in  bis  iiiai^'iia- 
liinity,  li;id  iiiliiuated  tint  he  would  su'^gcMl  to  our 
legdiialiiis  to  rl.-iiin  up  to  that  |)oint.  Mr.  A. 
hanked  the  liononilile  Senator  fur  that  much. 

I'ut  the  Senator  from   iNiulli  Can  lina  had  inli- 

tiated  that  this  whoh'  Orc:j:on   r|ue."lion  had   been 

;otten  up  fir  the  purpose  of  putting  little  men  into 

;ieut  |)!aces;  or,  ni  other  words,  of  making  great 

lien   out  of  little  OIKS'.      Now,  he  would  ask  that 

;eiit'einaii  whether  he  did  not  think  it  puKsilde  that 

his   |iroi',ee(lin^  nii;;lit    have  originated   in  higher 

•iotiv(Nr    For  .\lr.  A.'s  own  part,  he  woujil  nt^ver 

.»ielil   linn   inch   of  our  territory  to   niajic  a  line  of 

jPresideiiis  I  hat  .should  extend  for  a  thousand  years, 

liid  he  was  uinvilliiig  to  imiiule  base   moiives  to 

licinoral'le  men.     lie  was  himself  no  man's  man. 

When  the  n<'mocialic  parly  presented  to  him  a  man 

of  high  cliara   ler,  pure  moials,  and  sound  prliiei- 

les,  he  yiel.lij  bini  his  :ui]iport,  and  he  e\ii(Cteil 

till  to  do  it,  wlielher  his  comse  was  governed  by 

'  e  resolutions  of  the  nallimore  (•onvenlion  or  not. 

r.  A.  went  to  that  couveiuiou  with  no  parly  coii- 

xioiis — he   held    himself  aloof  from   sueh   ties  ; 

is  State  had  taken  the  mailer  in  hand,  and  she 


had  deligates  thern  consisting  of  a*  pnrf  .md  hen- 
orable  men  as  any  that  his  State  contained.  IIul 
the  .Senator  from  North  Carolina  had  said  that 
that  convention  was  made  up  of  fartionists  led  on 
by  di'inapogues:  if  so,  no  good  was  to  bo  exjiect- 
ed  from  it,  and  if  we  lost  the  whole  of  Oregon  it 
was  what  we  well  diserved.  A  gn^al  political 
party  who  would  select  and  send  up  representa- 
tives from  every  part  of  this  country  to  be  led  by 
taitionists  and  ilemagoijueH,  deserved  nothing  hut 
loss  and  defeat,  liui  Mr.  A.,  for  one,  could  not 
believe  that  such  had  been  the  fact, 

The  Senator  from  North  Carolina,  [Mr.  Hat- 
wood,]  coiuinued  Mr.  A.,  asked,  "Where  will  you 
go  for  a  President .'"  And  it  was  well  answered  by 
my  friend  from  Indiana,  who  said,  "  To  the  ranks 
of  the  people."  "Ah,  (replied  the  .Senator,)  will  you 
Ko  among  the  shoemakers  and  the  cobblers  for  your 
President.'  They  are  no  more  qualified  for  such  a 
station  than  a  blacksmith  is  to  make  n  watch." 
.Now,  I  am  no  demagogue,  but  I  have  always  been 
tau^'hl  to  have  the  highest  regard  for  the  intclli- 
genre  of  the  people — for  mechanics,  and  all  those 
whoearn  their  bread  by  labor.  Among  them  are 
many  who  have  adorned  society;  many  who  have 
in  their  day  been  the  ornaments  of  the  world. 
.Men  taken  from  ilie  ranks  of  the  people  have  shed 
a  lustre  upon  humanity.  Among  the  ancients,  if 
I  recollect,  the  name  of  Androiiicus  stands  conspic- 
uous— a  man  elevated  from  a  garden  to  a  throne. 
He  acfpiitted  himself  as  well  with  a  crown  upon 
his  head,  as  he  did  with  a  spade  in  his  hand.  A 
disliiiKuished  Roman,  Cinciiiniitiis,  was  several 
times  taken  from  the  plough  to  lead  the  armies 
of  the.  Republic.  Ilo  was  invested  with  the  su- 
preme command.  Th»'re  are  numerous  examples 
where  men  have  been  taken  from  the  ranks  of  the 
lu'iiple  and  plared  in  the  hishcsl  offices.  Is  not  the 
lii.story  of  tiie  worhl  crowded  with  examples  }  Na- 
poleon Bonaparte,  the  poor  Corsican,  boasted  him- 
self one  of  the  peojile.  The  Marshals  of  Fr.lme, 
who  led  Jinnies  to  victory,  were  tjikcn  from  the 
ranks  of  the  soldiery.  Sir,  if  that  sentiment  hati 
come  from  the  other  side  of  the  house  I  should  not 
I  ha\e  been  so  much  surprised  as  1  am  when  1  hear 
j  it  ciuiiiiig  from  a  Democratic  Senator. 
!  I  had  intended  to  siiy  something  about  war.  Sir, 
j  it  devolves  on  England — and  I  wish  to  impress  it 
iirioii  Senalin'son  the  other  side  tha*.  it  devolves  on 
I  Kiiglaml — to  reliiifjuish  her  pretensions  for  the  sake 
ofpea''e.  We  are  not  to  make  all  the  sacrifices, 
and  she  to  make  none.  If  her  title  is  not  clear  and 
uiupiestionable,  it  devolves  upon  her  to  yield  in 
order  to  preserve  the  peace  of  the  world.  But 
they  tell  us:  Take  care  what  you  do-— better  to 
sacrifice  rights,  unprofitable  rights,  than  to  involve 
the  country  in  a  war.  Sir,  it  was  said  by  the  Sen- 
ator from  Kentucky,  [Mr.  Ciiittevden,]  and 
wisely  said,  in  relation  to  this  matter,  that  the 
man  who  would  rashly  involve  (he  country  in  a 
war  would  a.^sumc  a  responsibility  that  would  sink 
a  navy.  1  have  to  answer,  that  the  man  who 
would  sacrifice  the  rights  of  his  country  would  as- 
sume a  responsibility  that  would  sink  a  world.  1 
heard  the  Senator  f'-  '  Georgia  [Mr.  Bfrrien] 
make  an  expressiim  oi  .  '.s  kind  in  the  early  part 
of  the  session,  and  it  is  one  in  which  I  heartily 
concur,  that  the  man  who  counsels  his  counlry- 
mcu  to  go  to  war  unnecessarily  would  obtain  the 


6 


infiinioun  renown  of  RronimtiiR.  To  tluH  I  mili- 
^rrilif.  riiit  I  Hiiy  f\ii'tlii'r,  tliiit  (he  innii  who  njim- 
rcIh  llic  mincMilcr  cif  llic  rij^lilH  of  Mm  roiuilry  l<> 
liiirfliiiH'' pi'Mct  ,  1(11  iii^'IdiiiiiiH  |ii:ii(r,<'.'iiiiM  fur  liiiii- 
Rcir  11  iiioiT  iiiriiniiiiiH  rt'iimvii,  inul  will  riTiive  it, 
Ihiiii  Ki'dr-lrnluN. 

Sir,  ilicn.'  in  oiu-  Dllirr  rrmmk.  Oicijrm  rnii  lint 
lir  loNi  ill  Iwd  wiiyN:  out'  in  liy  n(!;(ilinlion,  iiiid  llic 
iitliir  i^  liy  iiwisti'i'ly  iiii\i'iivily.  I  will  ii.it  dwell 
lljioii  llie  I'liHt  |ini|il,  lor  I  do  lii>l  Illllii'i|i'ili'  IJiMt  it 
Will  l)(!  n  'iirlid  to.  A  <  1  liiivc  llw  utiiiodi  cunfi- 
driice  in  llir  l^ir.sidciil,  I  coiiHiIcnlly  lii'lirxr  llinl 
lie  will  not  rleerivo  Lis  fririidf.  It  limy  lie  loft 
by  iiinetivity.  From  iliin  lime  forwiird  Id  it  In 
iilideriilniid  lliiit  CoiifjrcHN  is  lo  .iimid  Blill  in  ri'- 
pird  to  (lr<;,'oii;  tliiit  o'lr  ciiiziiiJi  in  Ore^'oii  me  not 
tr>  receive  the  lieiiefii  of  our  luwfo,  t!mt  iliey  nre  not 
to  Imvo  llio  firoteeliim  ot  our  Koidiers;  in  cM'ry 
(loiiil  of  vi"W|  tlmt  vvc  jii-e  lo  proeced  upon  tlie 
jiliilforin  of  iioii-oetiin;  whnt  will  liu  the  effect? 
riir  inlmliitaiil'*  tliere  nmst  Imve  "  ,'oviTiiiiiriif; 
our  iiriiple,  uliove  all  oilierH  iiiiu  .ho  sun,  i\re 
wedded  tu  govcriiiiienl  mid  \.\\y.  Leave  them  to 
themselves,  mid  they  vill  form  u  fjovernmeiit;  and 
wliiit  will  1)1'  ilio  result  lis  to  iiB?  Pnlriotisni,  on 
the  one  linnd,  (he  ties  llmt  hind  ii  ninn  to  the  roim- 
Iry  whii'.h  ga\e  him  liirlh,  placed  in  one  scale,  and 
the  indnc'-nierU  that  will  lie,  and  are  r.nw,  held 
■.uit  hy  «oim;  of  their  lendiii;;  men,  and  hy  Dr.  IMc- 
Lan;;nlin  mid  others  of  the  Hudr.on  Itay  rom- 
pany,  for  the  formalion  of  an  independent  tiovern- 
nicnt,  placed  in  the  other,  and  how  will  ihey  likely 
he  deterniiiKd?  Will  ihey  not  Riiy :  "Our  coun- 
try has  rcascd  to  ■,'ive  us  proler.tioii;  Hhe  has  jiven 
iiH  no  lawn;  she  han  f,'iveii  us  no  noldier^  for  our 
])rotei';ioii.  AHera  while,  when  we  shall  have  in- 
creased and  mul(iplled,and  filled  the  fertile  valleyM 
of  Ore^in  with  population;  when  wc  shall  have 
eovdid  her  mountains  with  our  (locks  mid  herds; 
when  our  river)  shall  be  covered  with  vcHsels  hear- 


iiispomnificr;  thr.n  tlic  Qoverninrtil  of  llio  trniletl 
SlaIeK  will  lie  williie;  enouj;h  lo  exieiid  over  um  her 
jiiriwiiclion;  they  will  be  ready  enon;;li  lo  i>riiil  us 
jrovfrnors,  jndijes,  marshals,  mid  ^lll  rilTK,  to  con- 
trol lis;  they  will  be  ready  enoiiijh  lo  eNlablidi 
cnntom-houseM  and  ;^ive  uh  odicorM  of  eii<iiom»,  In 
(lend  IIS  surveyors  and  esiablisli  land  o(fi,  es,  and 
ajipoint  land  ii;;(  nls  lo  nell  |o  ihe  lii'j;hesi  bidder 
our  doni.-.in;  they  will  be  re.irly  inoii;;h  to  do  all 
this,  bi  it  mil  Ih'i'er,  tlierefure,  ihiit  we  nixv  de- 
(de re  ourselves  indeiK 'idi.nl  ?     I)oin  iinf  ilie  head 


IKlelK  Mili'lll 
MV  I'ompan 


of  the  lliidsi'ii  flay  rompany  lell  us  that  Iviclnnd 
wi'l  ansisl  in  imiintaiiiin;  our  indejiendeiic-e.'  Have 
nol  the  French  oU'ered  the  wanie  tliin;;?  I  lave  Ihey 
not  ansure<l  us  that  each  ni'Mler  rIiiiII  jiosnesH  a 
principality  of  laud  if  we  place  <inrselves  under 
the  shield  of  llieir  |'roleclioii  ?  Piece  palrinlisni 
in  the  one  scale,  and  these  iiidncenn  iils  in  llie  other, 
mid  I  have  it  to  Senalori  lojudue  which  scale  will 
kick  llie  beam.  Alul,  n.i  the  Senator  from  M.iini 
[Mr.  F»  \Ni]  said  the  other  day,  Calilnrnia  will 
lollow,  and  in  the  courHc  uf  less  llian  f\fty  years 
tliey  will  have  strength  enouu;li,  ihey  w  ill  have  al- 
liis  and  friends  enoiiijh,  lo  enable  them  locaii^ 
llnir  |iosse.'sioiis  from  the  Ilirsian  line  lo  the  Istli 
mns  of  Darieii.  Sir,  \  may  be  wroii;  ut  I  think 
that  the  Hcnalor  from  ^[aille  foreshadowed  wh'it 
will  lake  place.  The  riuestion  presi'iils  itKcIf  Ihiis' 
if  the  eounlry  west  of  the  monnlains  is  desirable, 
is  worth  preserving',  ii  nece.'!.«:<ry  lo  the  slrcii^'th, 
the  t:lory,  and  the  power  of  this  euunlry,  wc 
must  have  it;  we  nmst  keep  up  a  .--ircain  oi"  enii- 
f;riition,  ii  constant  i-treain,  ana  induce,  by  every 
Tio.-iisiblo  means,  a  e.nnlinuanre  of  p.itrioliMii  in  the 
breasts  of  the  .settlers;  we  must  I'ounlenance  ihcni. 
and  make  lliein  feel  that  they  are  in  imiuediele 
eoniiexioii  with  this  Gov.  rnnieiit.  And  if  we  ile 
this,  we  sli.'ill  preserve  that  vast  territory,  and  .shal! 
make  it  a  perm.'incnt  and  uiuli\ided  poitl  .ii  of  thi' 
yreal  Republic. 


■V 


iicntof  tlio  triiiltd 
txti'iid  iivr  UN  lur 
cniHi^li  lo  itriiil  iiH 
kI  flic  rilTii,  til  ('(111- 
fm;;|l  Id  i^tlllili .li 
rrn  (if  riidfoins,  lo 
li  liiiiil  iilHi CM,  iiiul 
flic  )ii;,'liiMl  liifldc  r 
i'  nimi^th  to  (III  all 
',  thiit  \yv  iMw  ilr- 
)ipcH  lint  the  liivul 
II  IIS  timl  Ivij;l:i!i(l 
li'iMiMlcii'cr  Tl/ivr 
tiiili;;?  IlHVctliiy 
r  rIiiiII  |iii.vn('Hn  n 
•  ourNiIviH  iiiiilcr 
PInrc  pntrinliwiu 
ini  iiiM  ill  ihiMiilicr, 
;<•  wliirli  .icnlc  will 
'imtrir  from  Maiiir 
y,  riilirnriiiii  will 
I"  limn  fifiy  yciirH 
till  y  H  ill  liavi-  il 
'ill'  tliiiii  lo  ( ,111^ 
an  line  lollic  IhiIi 
iron;      nt  I  tliiiiK 

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